The show began with a walk through hell's gallery.
Rulien himself took the end of the long, elegant silver chain attached to Clara's collar. He did not pull or tug. The chain was a symbol, a statement of ownership, and his light, effortless hold on it was more dominating than any brutal force. He was her handler, her master, and now, her presenter.
He led the procession of new acquisitions out of the relative familiarity of the Courtesan Wing and into the noble quarters of Viregate.
It was a place of breathtaking, terrifying beauty.
The corridors here were not carved from raw rock, but were vast, vaulted halls of polished black marble, the floors so reflective they looked like a dark, still lake. Thousands of candles burned in massive, wrought-iron chandeliers, their light glinting off the silver filigree that decorated the walls and the precious gems that studded the hilts of the guards' ceremonial swords.
And everywhere, there were vampires.
